49th Air Division
Encyclopedia
The 49th Air Division is an inactive United States Air Force
unit. Its last assignment was with the United States Air Forces in Europe
, based at RAF Sculthorpe
, England. It was inactivated on 1 July 1956.
. The 47th BW engaged in heavy bombardment B-24 Liberator
operations against Germany.
The 49th Air Division was established and activated at Columbia Army Airbase
, South Carolina
in March 1943 as a medium bomber (B-25 Mitchell
) operational training wing (OTW). It was reassigned to Greenville Army Airbase
, South Carolina
in April where it commanded training of B-25 bomb groups in the southeast prior to their overseas deployment.
It was decided to redesignate the wing as the 49th Bombardment Wing (Heavy) and prepare it to command B-24 Liberator
heavy bomb groups as part of Fifteenth Air Force
in late 1943. Groups assigned to the wing were the 461st and 484th, training at Hammer Field
, California and Harvard AAF
, Nebraska
. After the wing deployed to Bari
, Italy in March 1944, a third group, the 451st was transferred to the wing from the 47th Bomb Wing.
As part of Fifteenth Air Force
the groups of the 49th BW attacked such targets as oil refineries, marshalling yards, aircraft factories, bridges, and airfields in Italy, Germany, Austria, and Bulgaria
. Subordinate units inflicted heavy damage on the oil refineries at Ploesti, participated in the invasion of southern France in August 1944, and supported the final advances of Allied armies in northern Italy in April 1945.
The wing was inactivated in Italy onn 16 October 1945.
Beginning in 1947, the 49th served in the Reserve for two years as a B-29 Superfortress
organization, during which time it was redesignated as an Air Division
and controlled the 100th Bomb Group (later Wing)
at Miami AAF
and the 380th Bomb Group (later Wing)
at MacDill AFB in Florida
As a result of the expansion of the United States Air Forces in Europe
, the division moved to England and served as a command and control organization. No combat elements were assigned, but the 20th Fighter-Bomber Wing
(RAF Wethersfield
); the 47th Bombardment Wing
(RAF Sculthorpe
) and the 81st Fighter-Bomber Wing
at RAF Bentwaters
were attached for operations.
The division supervised and participated in numerous training missions such as Quick Shot, Kingpin, and Bear Claw before it was inactivated on 1 July 1956 as a result of a budgetary reduction.
Groups:
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
unit. Its last assignment was with the United States Air Forces in Europe
United States Air Forces in Europe
The United States Air Forces in Europe is the United States Air Force component of U.S. European Command, a Department of Defense unified command, and is one of two Air Force Major Commands outside of the continental United States, the other being the Pacific Air Forces...
, based at RAF Sculthorpe
RAF Sculthorpe
RAF Sculthorpe is a military training facility for the United Kingdom's Ministry of Defence, situated about west of Fakenham in Norfolk, England...
, England. It was inactivated on 1 July 1956.
History
The unit's origins begin with its predecessor, the World War II 49th Bombardment Wing (49th BW) was part of Fifteenth Air ForceFifteenth Air Force
The Fifteenth Expeditionary Mobility Task Force is one of two EMTFs assigned to the United States Air Force Air Mobility Command . It is headquartered at Travis Air Force Base, California....
. The 47th BW engaged in heavy bombardment B-24 Liberator
B-24 Liberator
The Consolidated B-24 Liberator was an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and a small number of early models were sold under the name LB-30, for Land Bomber...
operations against Germany.
World War II
Columbia Metropolitan Airport
Columbia Metropolitan Airport is the main airport for Columbia, South Carolina. The airport lies five miles southwest of Columbia's central business district, in Lexington County.-Airlines and destinations:...
, South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
in March 1943 as a medium bomber (B-25 Mitchell
B-25 Mitchell
The North American B-25 Mitchell was an American twin-engined medium bomber manufactured by North American Aviation. It was used by many Allied air forces, in every theater of World War II, as well as many other air forces after the war ended, and saw service across four decades.The B-25 was named...
) operational training wing (OTW). It was reassigned to Greenville Army Airbase
Donaldson Air Force Base
Donaldson Air Force Base is a closed facility of the United States Air Force. Currently known as Donaldson Center, the former Air Force Base is located south of Greenville, South Carolina....
, South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
in April where it commanded training of B-25 bomb groups in the southeast prior to their overseas deployment.
It was decided to redesignate the wing as the 49th Bombardment Wing (Heavy) and prepare it to command B-24 Liberator
B-24 Liberator
The Consolidated B-24 Liberator was an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and a small number of early models were sold under the name LB-30, for Land Bomber...
heavy bomb groups as part of Fifteenth Air Force
Fifteenth Air Force
The Fifteenth Expeditionary Mobility Task Force is one of two EMTFs assigned to the United States Air Force Air Mobility Command . It is headquartered at Travis Air Force Base, California....
in late 1943. Groups assigned to the wing were the 461st and 484th, training at Hammer Field
Fresno Yosemite International Airport
Fresno Yosemite International Airport , formerly known as Fresno Air Terminal, is a joint civil-military public airport located in eastern Fresno, in Fresno County, California. The airport is more than south of Yosemite National Park on California State Route 41. The airport covers and has two...
, California and Harvard AAF
Harvard Army Airfield
Harvard State Airport , also known as Harvard State Airfield, is a public use airport located two nautical miles northeast of the central business district of Harvard, a city in Clay County, Nebraska, United States. It is owned by the Nebraska Department of Aeronautics...
, Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
. After the wing deployed to Bari
Bari
Bari is the capital city of the province of Bari and of the Apulia region, on the Adriatic Sea, in Italy. It is the second most important economic centre of mainland Southern Italy after Naples, and is well known as a port and university city, as well as the city of Saint Nicholas...
, Italy in March 1944, a third group, the 451st was transferred to the wing from the 47th Bomb Wing.
As part of Fifteenth Air Force
Fifteenth Air Force
The Fifteenth Expeditionary Mobility Task Force is one of two EMTFs assigned to the United States Air Force Air Mobility Command . It is headquartered at Travis Air Force Base, California....
the groups of the 49th BW attacked such targets as oil refineries, marshalling yards, aircraft factories, bridges, and airfields in Italy, Germany, Austria, and Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
. Subordinate units inflicted heavy damage on the oil refineries at Ploesti, participated in the invasion of southern France in August 1944, and supported the final advances of Allied armies in northern Italy in April 1945.
The wing was inactivated in Italy onn 16 October 1945.
Cold War
B-29 Superfortress
The B-29 Superfortress is a four-engine propeller-driven heavy bomber designed by Boeing that was flown primarily by the United States Air Forces in late-World War II and through the Korean War. The B-29 was one of the largest aircraft to see service during World War II...
organization, during which time it was redesignated as an Air Division
Air Division
Air Division may refer to:*Aviation Division *USAF Air Division*Term is also in use in the German Luftwaffe; see :de:Luftwaffendivision...
and controlled the 100th Bomb Group (later Wing)
100th Air Refueling Wing
The 100th Air Refueling Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the United States Air Forces in Europe Third Air Force. It is stationed at RAF Mildenhall, England. It is also the host wing at RAF Mildenhall....
at Miami AAF
Miami International Airport
Miami International Airport , also known as MIA and historically Wilcox Field, is the primary airport serving the South Florida area...
and the 380th Bomb Group (later Wing)
380th Air Expeditionary Wing
The 380th Air Expeditionary Wing is a provisional unit of the United States Air Force Air Combat Command . It is attached to the United States Air Forces Central component of ACC and is stationed at Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates....
at MacDill AFB in Florida
As a result of the expansion of the United States Air Forces in Europe
United States Air Forces in Europe
The United States Air Forces in Europe is the United States Air Force component of U.S. European Command, a Department of Defense unified command, and is one of two Air Force Major Commands outside of the continental United States, the other being the Pacific Air Forces...
, the division moved to England and served as a command and control organization. No combat elements were assigned, but the 20th Fighter-Bomber Wing
20th Fighter Wing
The 20th Fighter Wing is a wing of the United States Air Force and the host unit at Shaw Air Force Base South Carolina. The wing is assigned to Air Combat Command's Ninth Air Force.-Mission:...
(RAF Wethersfield
RAF Wethersfield
MDPGA Wethersfield is a Ministry of Defence facility in Essex, England; it is located north of the village of Wethersfield—about north-west of the town of Braintree...
); the 47th Bombardment Wing
47th Flying Training Wing
The 47th Flying Training Wing is a United States Air Force pilot training wing based at Laughlin Air Force Base, near Del Rio, Texas...
(RAF Sculthorpe
RAF Sculthorpe
RAF Sculthorpe is a military training facility for the United Kingdom's Ministry of Defence, situated about west of Fakenham in Norfolk, England...
) and the 81st Fighter-Bomber Wing
81st Training Wing
The 81st Training Wing is a wing of the United States Air Force and the host wing at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi. The 81st Training Wing has the Air Force’s largest Technical Training Group and trains more than 40,000 students annually...
at RAF Bentwaters
RAF Bentwaters
RAF Bentwaters, now known as Bentwaters Parks, is a former Royal Air Force station about 80 miles NE of London, 10 miles ENE of Ipswich, near Woodbridge, Suffolk in England...
were attached for operations.
The division supervised and participated in numerous training missions such as Quick Shot, Kingpin, and Bear Claw before it was inactivated on 1 July 1956 as a result of a budgetary reduction.
Lineage
- Established as 49th Bombardment Operational Training Wing (Medium) on 17 March 1943
- Activated on 31 March 1943
- Redesignated: 49th Bombardment Wing (Medium) on 18 October 1943
- Redesignated: 49th Bombardment Wing (Heavy) on 4 December 1943
- Redesignated: 49th Bombardment Wing, Heavy c. August 1944
- Inactivated on 16 October 1945
- Activated in the Reserve as 49th Bombardment Wing, Very Heavy on 20 December 1946
- Redesignated: 49th Bombardment Wing, Very Heavy on 31 December 1946
- Redesignated: 49th Air Division, Bombardment on 16 April 1948
- Inactivated on 27 June 1949
- Redesignated 49th Air Division on 25 October 1951
- Activated on 7 November 1951
- Redesignated: 49th Air Division, Operational on 1 April 1952
- Redesignated: 49th Air Division (Operational) on 15 November 1954
- Inactivated on 1 July 1956.
Assignments
- Third Air ForceThird Air ForceThe Third Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Forces in Europe . It is headquartered at Ramstein Air Base, Germany....
, 31 March 1943 – c. 3 February 1944
- Army Service ForcesArmy Service ForcesThe Army Service Forces were one of the three autonomous components of the Army of the United States during World War II, the others being the Army Air Forces and Army Ground Forces. They were created on February 28, 1942 by Executive Order Number 9082 "Reorganizing the Army and the War Department"...
, c. 3 February 1944;- Fifteenth Air ForceFifteenth Air ForceThe Fifteenth Expeditionary Mobility Task Force is one of two EMTFs assigned to the United States Air Force Air Mobility Command . It is headquartered at Travis Air Force Base, California....
, c. 11 March 1944 – 16 October 1945 - Continental Air CommandContinental Air CommandContinental Air Command was a Major Command of the United States Air Force responsible primarily for administering the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve.-Lineage:...
- Fifteenth Air Force
- Fourteenth Air ForceFourteenth Air ForceThe Fourteenth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Space Command . It is headquartered at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California....
, 20 December 1946 - Ninth Air ForceNinth Air ForceThe Ninth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force's Air Combat Command . It is headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina....
, 22 December 1948 - Fourteenth Air ForceFourteenth Air ForceThe Fourteenth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Space Command . It is headquartered at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California....
, 1 February – 27 June 1949- Tactical Air CommandTactical Air CommandTactical Air Command is an inactive United States Air Force organization. It was a Major Command of the United States Air Force, established on 21 March 1946 being headquartered at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia...
, 7 November 1951 - United States Air Forces in EuropeUnited States Air Forces in EuropeThe United States Air Forces in Europe is the United States Air Force component of U.S. European Command, a Department of Defense unified command, and is one of two Air Force Major Commands outside of the continental United States, the other being the Pacific Air Forces...
- Tactical Air Command
- Third Air ForceThird Air ForceThe Third Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Forces in Europe . It is headquartered at Ramstein Air Base, Germany....
, 5 June 1952 – 1 July 1956.
Components
Wings:- 20th Fighter Bomber20th Fighter WingThe 20th Fighter Wing is a wing of the United States Air Force and the host unit at Shaw Air Force Base South Carolina. The wing is assigned to Air Combat Command's Ninth Air Force.-Mission:...
: attached 12 February 1952 – 1 July 1956. - 47th Bombardment47th Flying Training WingThe 47th Flying Training Wing is a United States Air Force pilot training wing based at Laughlin Air Force Base, near Del Rio, Texas...
: attached 12 February 1952 – 1 July 1956. - 81st Fighter Interceptor81st Training WingThe 81st Training Wing is a wing of the United States Air Force and the host wing at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi. The 81st Training Wing has the Air Force’s largest Technical Training Group and trains more than 40,000 students annually...
(later, 81 Fighter Bomber): attached 1 March 1954 – 1 July 1956.
Groups:
- 100th Bombardment100th Air Refueling WingThe 100th Air Refueling Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the United States Air Forces in Europe Third Air Force. It is stationed at RAF Mildenhall, England. It is also the host wing at RAF Mildenhall....
: 29 May 1947 – 27 June 1949. - 380th Bombardment380th Air Expeditionary WingThe 380th Air Expeditionary Wing is a provisional unit of the United States Air Force Air Combat Command . It is attached to the United States Air Forces Central component of ACC and is stationed at Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates....
: 17 October 1947 – 27 June 1949. - 451st Bombardment451st Air Expeditionary GroupThe 451st Air Expeditionary Wing is a provisional United States Air Force Air Combat Command unit. It is one of two AEWs in Afghanistan, presently assigned to Kandahar Airfield and is also the host unit at Kandahar....
: c. 6 April 1944 – c.19 June 1945. - 461st Bombardment: c. 30 April 1944 – c.1 July 1945.
- 484th Bombardment484th Air Expeditionary WingThe 484th Air Expeditionary Wing is a provisional United States Air Force unit assigned to the United States Air Force Air Combat Command. It may be activated or inactivated at any time....
: c. 6 April 1944 – c.25 May 1945.
Stations
- Columbia AABColumbia Metropolitan AirportColumbia Metropolitan Airport is the main airport for Columbia, South Carolina. The airport lies five miles southwest of Columbia's central business district, in Lexington County.-Airlines and destinations:...
, South CarolinaSouth CarolinaSouth Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
, 31 March 1943 - Greenville AABDonaldson Air Force BaseDonaldson Air Force Base is a closed facility of the United States Air Force. Currently known as Donaldson Center, the former Air Force Base is located south of Greenville, South Carolina....
, South CarolinaSouth CarolinaSouth Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
, c. 28 April 1943 – 2 February 1944 - BariBariBari is the capital city of the province of Bari and of the Apulia region, on the Adriatic Sea, in Italy. It is the second most important economic centre of mainland Southern Italy after Naples, and is well known as a port and university city, as well as the city of Saint Nicholas...
, Italy
- Remained in Italy, possibly at other stations, c. 11 March 1944 – 16 October 1945
- Miami AAFMiami International AirportMiami International Airport , also known as MIA and historically Wilcox Field, is the primary airport serving the South Florida area...
, Florida, 20 December 1946 – 27 June 1949 - Langley AFB, VirginiaVirginiaThe Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, 7 November 1951 – 21 May 1952 - RAF SculthorpeRAF SculthorpeRAF Sculthorpe is a military training facility for the United Kingdom's Ministry of Defence, situated about west of Fakenham in Norfolk, England...
, England, 1 June 1952 – 1 July 1956.
- Miami AAF
Aircraft
- B-24 LiberatorB-24 LiberatorThe Consolidated B-24 Liberator was an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and a small number of early models were sold under the name LB-30, for Land Bomber...
1944 – 1945. - F-84 ThunderjetF-84 ThunderjetThe Republic F-84 Thunderjet was an American turbojet fighter-bomber aircraft. Originating as a 1944 United States Army Air Forces proposal for a "day fighter", the F-84 flew in 1946...
1952 – 1956; - RB-45 Tornado 1954 – 1956.